Railways and the Environment09

8/12/2019 Railways and the Environment09

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Authors: Olaf Krohn, Matthew Ledbury and Henning Schwarz

Design and production: European Service Network

Photos: Kindly provided by CER members and iStockphoto

Printed in Belgium in January 2009

Publisher: Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER)

Avenue des Arts53

1000Brussels

Belgium

Disclaimer

Neither CER, UIC nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the

use to which information contained in this publication may be put, nor for any errors

which may appear despite careful preparation and checking.

Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged.


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EXECUTIVESUMMARY 5

TRANSPORTANDTHEENVIRONMENT 6

How transport is affecting climate change 6

RAILSENVIRONMENTALIMPACT 10 Sustainable rail transport 10

Noise: reducing the impact on communities 13

Tackling air pollution 16

RAILSFUTUREROLE 18

Research for rail and the environment 18

Procurement processes to favour more eco-friendly trains 20

Raising public awareness 21

ACHIEVINGSUSTAINABLETRANSPORT 24

Pricing: paying the real cost for transport 24

Promoting intermodal transport 27

ANNEXI RAILWAYCOMMUNITYASPIRATION 32

ANNEXII RAILWAYCO2COMMITMENT 35

TABLEOFCONTENTS

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EXECUTIVESUMM

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Rail: putting transport on a greener trackAs one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to move

people and goods, railways have a tremendous potential to reduce the

environmental impact of transport and improve the quality of life of EU

citizens.

European policy up to now has failed to properly address the impacts of increasing

transport demand, which is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and a driver of

global climate change. There is now an urgent need for action to cut transport-relatedCO2emissions.

It is widely accepted that a modal shift towards railways can contribute to meeting EU

targets on climate protection and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. A stronger role

for rail will help to achieve real progress towards the 2020target of a 20% cut in the EUs

greenhouse gas emissions. However, concerted action must be taken by governments

and policy-makers to help bring this about.

The rail sector is doing its part, having already agreed on a voluntary target for 2020, to cut

its 1990 levels of specific emissions by30%. It is also funding research to work towardsstandardised technologies that will further improve environmental performance.

More needs to be done now to get traffic off the roads and on to rail. Real prices have to

be charged that reflect the real costs caused by polluters. The wider use of market-based

instruments will bring about more cost-oriented pricing and fairer market conditions,

which would lead to modal shift, behavioural changes, and help pay for improvements in

rail infrastructure.

The greater use of combined transport will allow each mode to use its strengths best

particularly over long distances, where the use of road and rail can complement ratherthan compete with each other.

EXECUTIVESUMMARY


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TRANSPORTAND

THEENVIRONMENT

How transport is affecting climate change

The debate on climate change has shifted dramatically in recent years. There is

now unequivocal scientific evidence summarised in the 2007 report from the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that global warming is happening;

that human actions are responsible; and that this poses an enormous threat to life on

Earth.

Politicians, businesses and the public are increasingly aware of the problem and are

calling for urgent action to cut the man-made emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs)

that cause climate change, in particular carbon dioxide (CO2).

Transport is a big contributor to climate changeRail can play a larger part in reducing the negative environmental

effects of transport

TRANSPORTANDTHEENVIRONMENT

Figure 1: Planned reductions of EU-wide greenhouse gas emissions


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TRANSPORTAND

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Hot topicGlobally, GHG emissions rose by 70% between 1970and 2004. The IPCC predicts rises

of between 1 and 6C from current levels by 2100, depending on the levels of future

GHG emissions. If the higher estimates are accurate, there would be catastrophic

consequences, so decisive action is a must.

In March 2007, as part of a wide-ranging attempt to cut emissions, European heads of

state agreed to set legally binding targets to reduce Europe-wide emissions of greenhouse

gases by 20% of 1990levels by 2020. This target may be increased to 30% by 2020if a

new global climate change agreement is reached in Copenhagen in 2009. The European

Commission has further stated that work must begin immediately on a longer-term target

of a 50% cut in global emissions by 2050(see Figure 1).

Producing 27% of all emissions, transport is the second largest source of man-made CO2

in the EU-27after energy production (see Figure 2). Moreover, latest projections from

the European Environment Agency (EEA) estimate that the sectors emissions are set to

increase by 25% between 1990and 2020. This is in contrast to emissions from industrial

and energy sectors, which are falling.

The alarming performance of the transport sector is largely due to road traffic, whichaccounts for 72% of transport emissions in the EU (2005figures). In contrast, rail accounts

Figure 2: CO2emissions2005in EU-27by sector and transport mode

(million tonnes)

Source: European Commission 2007


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for just 1.6% of total transport emissions, while it transports 6% of all passengers and

10.3% of all freight. This is a clear indicator that railways can do more for less. A modal

shift from road and air towards rail is one obvious way to reduce CO2emissions.

EU transport policy lacks a roadmap

The EU institutions have repeatedly underlined the need to address transport emissions.

The European Commission has issued several policy papers since 1992that outlined the

need for the application of the polluter-pays principle and fair competition between

modes of transport.

In July 2008, the Commission published its Greening Transport package which includes

a series of proposals to make the transport sector more environmentally friendly and to

promote sustainable mobility.

Yet the measures agreed so far are not sufficient to contain the negative environmental

effects of transport growth. Furthermore, there is still no coherent roadmap to reduce

emissions from transport.

The rail sector strongly recommends that transport policies in the EU and elsewhere

start to make more use of the energy efficiency of railways in order to progress towards

the 2020targets. Railways already offer the most energy-efficient performance and are

constantly improving, both in terms of passenger km (pkm) and tonne km (tkm).

Figure 3: Projected changes in EU-15GHG emissions from 1990to 2010with existing policy measures


TRANSPORTAND

THEENVIRONMENT

Source: European Environment Agency2007


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Best practice: le Grenelle Environnement in France

With its 2007 Grenelle Environnement, the French government outlined several

measures to reduce the countrys CO2emissions by 20% by 2020. These include:

A shift from road to rail and waterways, with the modal share of rail freight to be

increased to 25% by 2012;

The development of two new rail freight corridors from Paris to the south and the

south-west for combined traffic;

Long-term public loans of some 800 million for the purchase of necessary rolling

stock;

Shifting long-haul and transit truck operations from road to rail.

In addition, France is committed to investing 16billion in extending its high-speed

network by2,000km within the next decade.


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RAILSENVIRONM

ENTALIMPACT

Sustainable rail transport

No other major transport mode can boast energy efficiency similar to that of rail transport.

Moreover, rail is the only mode that has decreased its share of CO2emissions since 1990.

All other motorised transport modes have increased their share.

About 80% of the European rail fleet runs on electric power, meaning most trains can switch

to clean electricity when it becomes available. Furthermore, modern trains are equipped

with regenerative systems that recover energy for power generation when braking.

Rail transport generates the lowest specific CO2emissions compared with road, air, and

even waterborne transport. Figure 4compares total CO2produced during the transport of

100tonnes of freight from Basel to the port of Rotterdam. Rail emissions are almost eight

times lower than lorry emissions and four times lower than inland waterway emissions.

Rail offers the best overall efficiency and CO2performanceThe rail sector leads by example, initiating further voluntary improvements

High-level research is addressing noise and pollution reduction

RAILSENVIRONMENTALIMPACT

Figure 4: Freight transport CO2comparison

Source: Ecological Transport Information Tool (EcoTransIT) 2008


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RAILSENVIRONM

ENTALIMPACT

Leading by example

The European railway industry outlined its role in the fight against climate change in theRailway Community Aspiration, signed by all the major players in the sector in June2007

(see AnnexI).

More recently, in May 2008, members of the Community of European Railway and

Infrastructure Companies (CER) voluntarily agreed to reduce specific CO2emissions by

30% by 2020, compared with1990levels (see Annex II). This clearly demonstrates the

European rail industrys commitment to greater efficiency and lower emissions.

Concrete action

The rail sector is well on its way to meeting its targets. The achievement of a significantly

higher load factor has been an important step, meaning more material can be transported

per unit of energy, but there are many other areas where state-of-the-art research is

tackling efficiency, aiming to improve both environmental and economic performance:

Education and eco-driving a combination of new energy meters and advanced

driver training, encouraging drivers to be more efficient, and reducing energy

consumption by 10%;

Operations centralised line control reduces unnecessary braking and acceleration,optimising traffic flow for better overall energy efficiency on main rail corridors.


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Big potentialRailways and public transport are the backbone of any sustainable transport system. The fact that

they are often underused is difficult to justify. There is no good reason for not taking advantage

of the potential benefits of rail transport now, including vastly lower energy consumption and

environmental impact, plus enhanced economic performance and competitiveness.

Best practice: a closer look at high-speed rail

It is widely recognised that high-speed lines attract new travellers to the railway

system. A recent study undertaken on the Madrid-to-Seville AVE line also revealed

big savings in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, showing that without the AVE an

additional48,000tonnes of CO2would be produced on this route every year.

AVE passengers were asked which transport mode they would have chosen if there

were no high-speed trains: 13% said conventional train, 26% air transport, 24%

private car, 3% coach and 34% said they would not have made the journey at all.

Thus, of the2.5million passengers now travelling by AVE every year, one-third of them

represent induced traffic, i.e. people who would not otherwise travel. But emissions

on the Madrid-Seville corridor would still be more than three times higher if just the

remaining two-thirds used other more polluting modes of transport.

Source: Spanish Railways Foundation 2008

Spains AVE high-speed train


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Noise: reducing the impact on communities

Noise is a key concern for people living near transport infrastructure, and can be damaging

to both health and general well-being. Although train noise is already much less intrusive

than noise from air and road traffic (see Figure5), the railway sector wants to reduce

noise even further, especially that caused by freight trains. Many of these trains still use

loud cast-iron brake blocks, unlike passenger trains, most of which use disc brakes.

Insulation against soundThe traditional solution has been to erect noise barriers and install sound insulation in

nearby buildings, but tackling the problem at the source is a more efficient strategy,

lowering the noise produced across the whole network rather than treating the symptom

locally of noise perceived.

Figure 5: Percentage of citizens who are highly disturbedwhen exposed to night-time noise emissions from transport


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ENTALIMPACT

Source: European Commission 2004


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Better solutionsOne technology being employed to significantly reduce noise made by freight trains is

composite brake blocks. K-blocks, also known as whispering brakes, are now being

fitted to all new freight wagons in accordance with the Noise TSI (Technical Specifications

for Interoperability). K-blocks reduce noise at source by 8-10 decibels (dB) which, to

human ears, sounds like cutting the noise by half.

Rolling stock has a high life expectancy of up to 40years, so the retrofitting of the existing

fleet is crucial in order to meet EU noise targets. The industry is currently developing new

composite brake blocks, called LL-blocks, that will not only reduce noise further, but also

lower the cost of retrofitting.


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Best practice: Swiss incentive for lower-noise vehicles

According to legislation introduced in 2001, Switzerland is already paying to install

low-noise systems in its national railway vehicles.

Vehicles fitted with noise-reducing technologies are refunded 0.01 CHF per axle

kilometre travelled in Switzerland. This translates into a 7.50 bonus for a typicalfour-axle wagon on the 300 km Basel-Chiasso line, an important link in the Germany-

Italy transit route.

A complete freight train with composite brake blocks gets a 93refund, which is 5%

of the total track access charge. Swiss taxes cover the resulting reduced income to

infrastructure operators. The Dutch infrastructure manager ProRail has recently

implemented a similar bonus scheme.


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Tackling air pollution

Around 80% of rail traffic in Europe is powered by electricity, meaning the vast majority

of trains emit no local air pollutants where they operate. The remaining 20% is diesel-

powered, producing about 1-2% of Europes particulate (PM10) emissions, and only

1-3% of transport-related nitrogen oxides (NOx).

The EU adopted new limits on air pollutants for new or upgraded locomotives in 2004,

following the 1997Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM) Directive.

How low can rail emissions go?Stage IIIA limits of the NRMM Directive took effect in 2006. Stage IIIB levels will come

into effect in 2012, reducing NOxemissions by a further 50%, and PM10 by nearly 90%,

compared to Stage IIIA. These limits will apply to new railcar engines, as well as to

locomotives.

The International Union of Railways (UIC) and the Association of the European Rail

Industry (UNIFE) are running a joint project under the EUs Seventh Research Framework

Programme (FP7), aimed at developing engines that are compliant with these limits.

Best practice: GREEN diesel locomotive

The EU-funded GREEN project (GREen heavy duty ENgine) is carrying out research on

new near-zero emissions technologies for heavy-duty rail engine subsystems.

The future GREEN engine incorporates a new combustion process for maximum fuel

conversion efficiency of 45%, with closed-loop emission control, high-power density,

and an integrated exhaust after-treatment system.

GREEN project partners include UIC, UNIFE and the engine manufacturer MTU.


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Best practice: the worlds first diesel hybrid railcar

In July 2007, the worlds first diesel hybrid railcars entered service on the Koumi line

in Japan.

The Kiha E200 is about 20% more efficient than a standard railcar operating on level

ground, and it is 30dB quieter when idling in a station. Hazardous NOxand graphite

emissions are reduced by an impressive 60%.

The new railcar uses both a diesel engine and regenerative brakes to charge an

electric battery.

Japanese rail company JR East is developing fuel-cell systems for railway applications. In 2006,it began test runs of the worlds first fuel-cell hybrid railcar, which entered service in 2007.


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RAILSFUTUREROLE

Research for rail and the environment

Todays renaissance of the railways has only been possible thanks to a multitude of

powerful research initiatives aimed at making fundamental improvements in the system

as a whole. Now, keeping rail at the forefront as the most environmentally friendly major

transport mode requires an even more rapid adoption of new technologies for clean and

efficient energy.

The European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC), set up in 2001 by industrial

stakeholders, national governments and the European Commission, has been a key

mover, paving the way towards new and innovative forms of collaboration and improving

synergies between EU, national and private research.

In its 2007Strategic Rail Research Agenda 2020, ERRAC highlighted green concerns,

calling for increased environmental protection while safeguarding commercial

competitiveness.

European rail research topics include some key environmental aims:

Reduction of train weight per passenger in passenger trains;

Lightweight and low-noise freight wagons;

Finding alternatives for hazardous materials;

Better traffic management and train control for improved traffic flow;

Introducing standardised technologies;

Modular systems for more efficient construction and maintenance;

Dealing with the direct effects of climate change on the railways themselves.

A research-based renaissance for railRailways improving their efficiency

Reduced weight to improve environmental performance

RAILSFUTUREROLE


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RAILSFUTUREROLE

Best practice: advanced trains reduce CO2by 56%

The new state-of-the-art class 423metro train set is the latest result of advanced

European rail research, producing 56% less CO2 than the 35-year-old vehicle it

replaces.

Procured by Deutsche Bahn, the new train is a lightweight compared to its predecessor,

weighing only 105tonnes instead of140.

Reduced dead weight saves some 25% of specific energy consumption, while

regenerative braking accounts for further savings of up to 31%.

Compare this with developments in the automobile industry, where vehicles are

getting heavier and little improvement is being seen in their efficiency. For instance,

the new version of the Volkswagen Beetle car boasts fuel performance similar to the

original model, released over50years ago.

Class423Deutsche Bahn (right)


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Procurement processes to favourmore eco-friendly trains

Eco-procurement is already a key concept for operators, manufacturers and policy-

makers, not least because railway rolling stock is often used for 30years or more.

Adherence to strict environmental performance specifications, including energy efficiency,

noise, diesel-exhaust emissions and recycling, must be considered when rail suppliers

submit tenders.

Eco-procurement was highlighted in the UICs leaflet Environmental specifications for

new rolling stock, published in 2006after a wide-ranging consultation with the supply

industry and rolling-stock manufacturers. This is in line with the Commissions proposal

to ensure that green criteria, including life-time costs for energy consumption, and

CO2and pollutant emissions, are taken into account in addition to vehicle price during

procurement for public transport in urban areas.


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RAILSFUTUREROLE

Raising public awareness

Communicating environment and transport

While most consumers still base their travel decisions largely on price, value for money,

service and availability, more and more people are taking environmental factors into

account.

The railway community is therefore working hard to provide customers with comprehensive

information on climate change, air pollution and the external costs of transport.

New internet-based tools, such as EcoPassenger and EcoTransIT (see Figure 6), are

making a range of data available to customers. These interactive services enable

customers to calculate emissions for journeys made using different transport modes.


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RAILSFUTUREROLE

Best practice:

new tools for the most eco-friendly transport

Choosing the most eco-friendly major modes of transport is now easier than ever,

with the launch in June 2008of two new internet-based tools.

Passengers can use EcoPassenger, while freight operators use the updated version of

EcoTransIT to compare energy consumption, CO2and pollutant emissions, depending

on the mode of transport they choose rail, road, air or waterborne.

The comparison can be made for any given itinerary within Europe and may even be

fine-tuned for combined traffic, using two or more different transport modes.

Both tools are based on sound scientific methodology, taking a complete life-cycle

approach to energy consumption. Calculations also include emissions from the

cumulative energy consumption, i.e. the energy used to produce electricity.

The tools are available at www.ecopassenger.organd www.ecotransit.org

Best practice:

Figure 6: The EcoPassenger web tool comparing the effects ofdifferent transport modes for the same journey


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Advertising sound behaviourRaising awareness and stimulating demand (and modal shift) is a new and promising

area for railway operators in Europe and all over the world. Other examples include:

A Dutch railways (NS) advertising campaign applied the widely known energy

labelling system for washing machines and refrigerators to rail travel (see Figure 7);

Belgian railways (SNCB Group) conducted a successful campaign targeting its own

38,000employees to reduce energy and act as good citizens;

Finnish Railways (VR) developed 12environmental pledges and donated 70,000

to the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation to restore traditional landscapes

located near railway lines and stations and along busy routes (see www.vr.fi).

Figure 7: Awareness-raising: promotional advert used by NS Rail


RAILSFUTUREROLE


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ACHIEVING

SUSTA

INABLETRANSPORT

Pricing: paying the real cost for transport

Honest price, honest serviceThe prices of transport in general and road transport in particular are artificially low.

Transport prices do not cover air pollution and climate change, noise annoyance, the

human toll of accidents, emergency and medical services, and higher insurance costs.

The real marginal social costs of all transport in 2000 in the then EU-15plus Switzerland

and Norway amounted to 650billion, not including losses due to congestion. This is

nearly 7.3% of the EU-15gross domestic product. And more than 80% of the costs are

attributable to road traffic (see Figure 8).

Transport pricing needs to reflect the real cost of transportCombined road-rail transport can make a huge difference

The public needs (and wants) to know

ACHIEVINGSUSTAINABLETRANSPORT

Figure 8: Total external costs in 2000by mode in the EU-15plusSwitzerland and Norway

Source: INFRAS/Institute for Economic Policy Research 2004


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ACHIEVING

SUSTA

INABLETRANSPORT

These artificially low transport prices trigger additional demand for transport services,

which in turn requires more infrastructure. This cannot be financed from the revenues

generated, so governments are asked repeatedly for money for new and bigger roads,

leading to more road transport, more CO2emissions, more air pollution, more accidents,

and higher public deficits a vicious circle of loss on all sides.

A better way to go

More realistic transport pricing, with external costs borne by actual users, and not by

society as a whole, would result in fairer competition between transport modes, ensuringthat the benefits of more efficient transport options go directly to the users. The real

costs of less efficient transport would then apply only to those who choose to use them.

Rail transport, with a lower average external cost than any other transport mode, would

benefit greatly from this fairer pricing system (see Figure 9).

Figure 9: Average external costs for freight, not including congestion

Source: INFRAS/Institute for Economic Policy Research 2004


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Revision of the Eurovignette Directive?The 1999 Eurovignette Directive is a unique piece of European legislation that forbids

market economy prices from reflecting real costs.

The Eurovignette Directive provides guidelines on charging heavy goods vehicles

(HGVs) for road use. Apart from some minor exceptions, it does not allow for the

internalisation of external costs for road transport, making this the only mode of

transport where this is expressly forbidden by law.

As part of its Greening Transport package, in July 2008 the European Commission

proposed that an enabling, non-mandatory framework should be established which

allows Member States to impose an external cost charge on HGVs. The revenues

from these charges would be earmarked for use on projects to promote sustainable

transport.

However, charges would only cover air pollution, noise, and congestion costs, and

not the costs of accidents or CO2emissions, which the Commission still believes are

better tackled through taxation.

More information can be found on the CER website at: www.cer.beRAILWAYSANDTHEENVIRONMENT|

ACHIEVING

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Promoting intermodal transport

Combined transport can cut emissions immediately

Taking a container or mega-trailer off the road and putting it on a long-distance freight

train, using trucks only for short pre- and post-carriage links, cuts specific energy

consumption by almost half.

Using combined or intermodal transport that links road and rail, greenhouse gas

emissions can be reduced by even more than 50%, as electric trains allow use of CO2-free

energy sources such as water, wind or solar power.

Today, trucks account for around 75% of inland freight journeys within the EU. That

means there is a huge potential, using existing technologies and systems, to integrate

the railways into these logistic chains and reduce massively the negative environmental

effects of transport.


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Best practice: modal shift in Switzerland

In 2006, over 25million tonnes of freight crossed the Swiss Alps by rail, a modal share

of 66%. This is by far the largest share for railways in any European transport corridor,

reflecting the countrys move towards environmentally sustainable transport in the

vulnerable Alpine ecosystem.

The Swiss people enshrined modal shift into their Constitution in 1994, voting for the

Alpine Initiative. Measures include:

Two new transalpine rail links: the Ltschberg tunnel, operating since December

2007, and the Gotthard tunnel which is due to be finished by2017;

The Land Transport Agreement with the EU and other bilateral treaties for mutual

market access;

Open access to the Swiss rail network for cargo traffic;

Increasing countrywide mileage-related heavy vehicle fees, generating

900 million in 2007;

Subsidies and incentives for combined traffic.

Revenues from the heavy vehicle fee are spent on improvements and extensions to rail

infrastructure, and the Swiss corridors have seen a 16% decrease in trucks crossing

the Alps since 2000. The current figure of1.2million trucks annually still falls short of

the ambitious goal, which is a reduction to 650,000 trucks per year.RAILWAYSANDTHEENVIRONMENT|

ACHIEVING

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Combined transport will double by 2015Combined transport has already produced remarkable growth rates, and open access for

railways within the EU in effect since 2007 is contributing to this trend. Total combined

road-rail traffic in Europe is expected to increase to 268 million gross tonnes by 2015,

a 114% increase over 2005(Figure 10). This is an average annual growth rate of7.9%,

significantly higher than expectations for conventional road or rail growth.

For this reason, combined road-rail transport is now being actively promoted by publicauthorities through measures such as exemption from traffic prohibitions. The EU has

also authorised its Member States to provide financial support for railway transport, and

especially for combined road-rail transport.

The European railway industry is still waiting for more genuinely fair market conditions as

well as determined legislation to further promote this rapidly growing market segment.

Reliable funding is urgently needed to enable rail infrastructure to cope with rising

transport volumes.

Figure 10: Goods moved using combined rail-road transport in Europe2005-2015


ACHIEVING

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Source: International Union of Railways 2008


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Best practice: 10,000fewer lorry trips in Paris

French chain Monoprix wants to be the supermarket of choice for ethical consumption.

By shifting 120,000tonnes of goods from lorry to freight train per year, it will cut CO2

emissions by 280 tonnes and 19tonnes of NOx. And 10,000lorry trips into the heart

of Paris will be eliminated.

In summer 2008, Monoprix announced a two-year plan to shift its Paris freight from

road to rail. Sixty of the companys stores will be served by combined traffic, using

SNCF freight trains running from the suburban Monoprix depot to a distribution centre

in Paris Bercy.

Goods will then be loaded on to natural-gas-powered vehicles to shops, the first

such delivery fleet to be used in France. Goods shifted from road to rail range from

non-alcoholic beverages to non-food items such as textiles, cosmetics and various

household items.


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ACHIEVING

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Best practice: optimising the travel chain

Travellers in several countries can already make use of the multi-modal travel

chain:

Passengers can obtain door-to-door travel information on DB, SBB or BB

websites. On-line timetables include all modes of public transport and maps for

those who prefer to walk the final section of their journey;

Holders of the German BahnCard can change from long-distance trains to

regional public transport at their final destination for no extra charge and

without an additional ticket, City-Ticket automatically included;

In Switzerland, hundreds of railway stations offer seamless transfer to car-

sharing. SBBs Halbtax-Abo (half fare travelcard) and other public transport

pass holders may use the nationwide car-sharing service at reduced fees;

In Karlsruhe, Kassel, and some other German cities, the so-called Regio Tram can

switch from its own urban infrastructure to regular suburban lines, combining

the strengths of both networks.


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ANNEXI

ANNEXI

Fighting climate change:railway community aspiration (June 2007)

The evidence of climate change is ever clearer, as is the risk of substantial environmental

damage for future generations. The need for urgent action has been recognised in the

Commissions Communication where global climate change is to be limited to 2 degrees

Celsius, seeking a 20% reduction of CO2emissions by 2020.

The railway community welcomes the European Unions call for action and outlinesbelow how the railways could assist global society and the transport sector as a whole

to reduce its CO2emissions a sector which is responsible for a quarter of Europes total

CO2emissions.

The railway system is currently the transport mode with the lowest specific CO2emissions

on average. Consequently, the most significant contribution to the EU climate change

policy for the transport sector would be a modal shift from the roads and air to the

railways. To take a simple example: every journey made by train instead of by car in

Germany reduces CO2emissions by two thirds; for a train journey instead of a flight, CO2

emissions are as much as 70% lower (per passenger).

The railways offer significant environmental advantages in general but are looking

towards capturing more traffic from the roads and air in three segments in particular:

Passenger traffic in agglomerations and city centres.

High speed passenger services up to 1000 km.

Freight traffic over medium and long distances, as part of intermodal traffic/logistic

chains.

Despite its obvious CO2advantage, the railway sector is not complacent and seeks on the

contrary to improve its position as the lowest CO2emitter. This involves implementing

continuous improvement programmes, ranging from operational to technological

solutions. Over the last few years a number of European railways have launched energy-

saving programmes showing specific CO2emission reductions of up to 25%.

Moreover, the European railway community is committed to setting joint targets by the

end of 2007 for improving the environmental and energy performance of railway services

in Europe for the period to 2020.

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ANNEXI

The railways have made considerable progress in terms of transport performance and

reliability in recent years.

The passenger sector is stable, the high-speed rail system is growing rapidly and

innovative metro and light rail systems have significantly improved the image, use and

modal share of rail in many cities. The rail freight business has started to grow again and

in some countries the rail freight market share is increasing after years of decline.

The railways have improved despite the unfavourable and unbalanced competitive

framework conditions prevalent in Europe. In a normal market economy, supply and

demand are balanced by market-driven prices.

However, this basic mechanism does not work in the European transport sector, as prices

are distorted by the political framework relating to taxation, subsidies, etc. The polluter

pays principle with the inclusion of externalities is widely supported but still does not

apply in practice in the transport sector.

At present, European legislation does not allow for price adjustments in the transport

sector reflecting real market conditions; environmental cost factors can only be taken

into account in specific situations, not as a principle. Perhaps this distortion is the main

reason why the transport sector is the fastest growing polluter.

In summary, the European Railway Community is fully committed to improving its own

environmental credentials, but the only way to achieve significant reductions in CO2

emissions in the European transport sector is to actively support modal shift.

5

The European railway community therefore calls upon EU Member States, European

Parliament and European Commission to take the following decisions:

Policy measures should make environmental advantages and improvementsprice effective

Define a fair infrastructure-charging mechanism in the framework of the

Eurovignette Directive by:

Putting an end to the current unbalanced legal provisions prohibiting

the inclusion of climate change and pollution costs in road infrastructure

charging policies in the EU;

Including appropriate taxation and tolls for car traffic in agglomerations

and city centres and earmarking these funds for improving regional and

local public transportation;

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ANNEXI

Internalising external costs in pricing policies for road sector freight traffic

and earmarking these funds for rail-related infrastructure/TEN projects;

Speeding up the Eurovignette timetable i.e. presenting the Commission

impact studies announced previously and the necessary legislative proposals

by the end of 2007(instead of June 2008).

Discontinuing unsustainable political treatment, such as aviation fuel tax exemptions.

Creating legal instruments to move a significant proportion of hazardous goods

from road to rail.

Correcting the European Emission Trading Scheme which at present penalises the

(electrified and) environmentally friendly railways; instead make it an effective

system of cap and trade for pollution-intensive transport modes.

Using campaigns to raise awareness regarding the impact of transport on the

environment.

Creating economic incentives for shippers who shift to environmentally friendly

modes.

Echoing the title of the Commissions White Paper on European Transport Policy for

2010: It is time to decide to decide and to act now. The European Railway Community

stands united in signing this aspiration and is represented by the following railway

associations:

Signed in Brussels, 26 June 2007, by:

Johannes Ludewig, Executive Director Community of European Railway and Infrastructure

Companies (CER)

Michael Robson, Secretary General European Rail Infrastructure Managers (EIM)

Luc Aliadire, Chief Executive International Union of Railways (UIC)

Brigitte Ollier, Director International Association of Public Transport Euroteam (UITP)

Michael Clausecker, General Director The Association of European Railway Industries

(UNIFE)

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ANNEXII

ANNEXII

30% CO2emissions reduction commitment

At the CER General Assembly in Brussels in May 2008, members agreed to voluntarily

set a sector-wide target on reducing the specific levels (emissions per passenger

kilometre or tonne kilometre) of carbon dioxide (CO2) from rail traction.

Under the terms of the agreement:

Members backed a sector-wide target on reducing the specific emissions of CO2from rail traction by30% from 1990to 2020;

Members committed to realise their own individual commitments in order to

ensure that the overall sector-wide target was reached.

Each company has agreed to draw up a plan outlining the measures they will take

to help meet the 2020 target. They will also supply data annually to allow for the

monitoring of progress towards the overall target.


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Further CER and UIC publicationson railways and the environment:

Rail transport and the environment: meeting the challenge

Placing environmental criteria at the forefront of transport

policy has never been more important than today. Cutting

emissions of greenhouse gases is one of the biggest European

political issues, yet transport is proving the most intractable

area to change, with emissions continuing to rise. As the

most efficient mode of major transport, rail has a key role to

play in reducing the impact of transport. This book puts the

railways environmental strengths into context. The first part

gives an overview on the different aspects of the rail sectors

environmental performance in comparison to other modes of

transport. The second part examines how policy measures can

support the railways role in a sustainable transport system. It considers how taxes and

subsidies can be used to encourage changes in travel and whether the external costs can

be properly internalised.

Rail transport and environment: facts & figures

Transport presents real challenges as society tries to ensure a more

environmentally sustainable future. It is the only sector in the EU

in which greenhouse gas emissions have consistently risen since

1990, and current transport patterns are clearly unsustainable. As

well as contributing to climate change, the growth in congestion onour roads, accidents, air pollution, and noise pollution of transport

all lead to substantial costs.

In order to make long-term decisions on the future of transport,

accurate data to be consulted is important. This booklet has been

compiled jointly by CER and UIC to present the statistical and

factual evidence on the impact of the different transport modes.

For more information on both publications please contact [email protected] or

see www.cer.be

Rail transport and the environment:

meeting the challenge

COMMUNITYOFEUROPEAN RAILWAYANDINFRASTRUCTURECOMPANIESCOMMUNAUTEUROPENNEDU RAILETDES COMPAGNIESDINFRASTRUCTURE

GEMEINSCHAFTDEREUROPASCHENBAHNEN UNDINFRASTRUKTURGESELLSCHAFTEN


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COMMUNITY OF EUROPEAN RAILWAY AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMPANIES

AVENUE DES ARTS 53

B-1000 BRUXELLES

TEL. +32 /2/2130870

FAX +32 /2/[email protected]

www.cer.be

INTERNATIONAL UNION OF RAILWAYS

RUE JEAN REY 16

F-75015 PARIS

TEL. +33/1/44492053

FAX +33/1/44492059

[email protected]

www.uic.asso.fr


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